New Delhi, September 21, 2026: India’s rural sanitation programme has achieved another major milestone, with the number of individual household toilets constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) crossing 12.22 crore. The achievement highlights the scale of the country’s sanitation efforts over the past decade and reflects the expansion of toilet access across villages.

The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, with the objective of accelerating sanitation coverage and eliminating open defecation. At the beginning of the programme, rural sanitation coverage was estimated at around 39 per cent. The mission subsequently witnessed a rapid expansion in household toilet construction, supported by government programmes, local administrations and community participation.

More than 10 crore toilets were constructed during the first phase of the rural sanitation mission, helping India move towards universal household toilet access. Rural India was declared Open Defecation Free in 2019. Since then, the focus has increasingly shifted from creating toilet infrastructure to ensuring sustained usage, maintenance and wider village-level sanitation.

The second phase of SBM-G has broadened the programme’s objectives. Along with maintaining Open Defecation Free status, the government has placed greater emphasis on solid and liquid waste management, visual cleanliness and sustainable sanitation systems. The approach recognises that a clean village requires more than household toilets and depends on the availability of systems to manage waste effectively.

Government data indicates that thousands of villages have progressed towards ODF Plus status under the second phase of the programme. ODF Plus focuses on maintaining ODF behaviour while ensuring that villages have arrangements for managing solid and liquid waste. The Model category additionally places emphasis on visual cleanliness and sustained community-level sanitation practices.

Solid waste management has emerged as a significant component of the rural sanitation programme. Villages are increasingly developing systems for waste collection, segregation, processing and disposal. Composting facilities, waste collection centres and other local infrastructure are being promoted to prevent garbage from accumulating in public spaces and to encourage communities to treat waste as a resource.

Liquid waste management is another important area of intervention. Rural sanitation programmes are supporting measures such as soak pits, drainage systems and other decentralised solutions to manage wastewater. Effective liquid waste management can help reduce stagnant water, improve village cleanliness and contribute to healthier living environments.

The programme has also expanded into resource recovery through initiatives such as GOBARdhan. The initiative promotes the conversion of cattle dung and other organic waste into useful products, including biogas and organic manure. Such projects can potentially connect sanitation with renewable energy, agricultural productivity and local economic activity.

A major lesson from India’s sanitation experience is that infrastructure alone cannot guarantee lasting results. Behavioural change remains critical to ensuring that toilets are consistently used, maintained and kept hygienic. Awareness campaigns, community mobilisation and local participation therefore remain important elements of the rural sanitation strategy.

Women and girls have also been among the key beneficiaries of improved household sanitation. Access to toilets can provide greater privacy and convenience while reducing the need for open defecation. For rural households, sanitation infrastructure can consequently have implications extending beyond hygiene to dignity, safety and everyday quality of life.

The growing emphasis on community participation is also changing the nature of the sanitation campaign. Gram Panchayats, local bodies, village organisations and citizens have an important role in maintaining sanitation facilities and waste-management systems. Long-term success will depend increasingly on whether villages can sustain these systems after the initial infrastructure is created.

The crossing of the 12.22-crore household toilet mark therefore represents more than a numerical milestone. It marks another stage in India’s long-running sanitation transformation, with the policy focus moving from toilet construction towards comprehensive waste management, behavioural sustainability and cleaner villages. The next phase will depend on maintaining the infrastructure already created and ensuring that sanitation becomes a permanent part of rural community life.